CABINET WAS TOLD today that of the 124 patients admitted to ICU with Covid-19 between 24 March and 23 June, 18 patients had received one dose of a vaccine.

Five had received two doses of the vaccine, but just one patient was identified as having received their second dose more than 14 days prior to their positive test result.

This case has been classified as a “breakthrough infection”.

Breakthrough infections, which occur when fully vaccinated people are infected, are an entirely expected part of any vaccination process. 

No vaccines are 100% effective at preventing infection or disease, but the majority of Covid vaccines such as Moderna and Pfizer have shown very high efficacy rates.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said the vast majority of those in ICU didn’t have any vaccine protection. 

This evening, 589 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed.

There are 62 people in hospitals which have tested positive for Covid-19, 17 of which are being treated in ICU.

Anyone aged over 16 to be offered vaccine by September

Cabinet was also told that anyone aged 16 and over who wants a Covid-19 vaccine will be offered one by the end of September.

Ministers were also told by the health minister today that the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) is examining whether to extend availability of the Pfizer vaccine to the children aged over 12.

Makers of the Moderna vaccine have also applied to the European Medicines Agency for the use of their vaccine in this age group.

NIAC is also understood to be examining the evidence on whether to sign off on the mixing of different vaccines doses.

A government spokesperson confirmed that government is currently examining whether to offer a vaccine to children aged 12 to 15 in the autumn.

Donnelly told his Cabinet colleagues that it is expected that a further 280,000 to 300,000 doses will be administered in the coming week.

He told the Cabinet that 4.73 million vaccine doses have now been administered to date.

A total of 2.68 million people (or 71% of the population) have received their first vaccine dose and over 2.1 million (or more than 56% of the population) are now fully vaccinated.

Over 40,000 doses of the single-shot Janssen vaccine have been given to 850 pharmacies, the Cabinet was told today. 

It is expected that 85,000 doses will be administered in the next two weeks.